Blog

Why Chinese Herbs

During your time at MCA your acupuncturist might have brought up adding Chinese Herbs to your treatments. Why? The simplest answer is, sometimes acupuncture isn’t the only or best way to address various health concerns.

Chinese herbs are the medicine that makes Traditional Chinese Medicine (or TCM as it is commonly referred to) a complete system of healthcare. It is the yin to the yang of acupuncture. There are thousands of traditional formulas of herbs, all of them based on a system of understanding that combines taste (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, & bland) and temperature (cold, warm, hot) of a plant material (leaves, twigs, bark, roots) to create a desired effect on the chemistry of the body. An easy analogy for Chinese herbs is food. We eat certain foods to have certain effects inside the body. For example, lemons are bitter and sour and create the pucker that helps to create saliva, while bone broths would be considered sweet and bland and help to repair tissue after illness. Chinese herbs are used to help the body to repair itself over time instead of masking the symptoms like an over the counter medication would.

Chinese herbs can be used to address a variety of symptoms and conditions. They are not recommended for everyone, especially those on certain medications like blood thinners, but in the right circumstance herbs can help improve conditions faster than acupuncture alone. At MCA we like to use acupuncture first and then add herbs as needed (or desired) on a patient by patient basis. All of our acupuncturists are board certified in Chinese Herbology, and during their training spent many hours studying Chinese herbs and formulas. All of the Chinese herbs at MCA are tested for safety and efficacy, and come as a pill similar to a supplement. We carry a wide array of formulas that address everything from constipation and menstrual issues to the common cold and sinus congestion. Chinese herbs range in price, and can cost anywhere from $10-15 for a two week supply.

So the next time you see your acupuncturist, ask how Chinese herbs could benefit you!

So, how will you know if or when your acupuncture treatments are actually working? Good question; glad you asked. This is a question we hear in the treatment room quite often: “What should I expect to notice or pay attention to?”

For many people, acupuncture is a new experience, and as with most new experiences, it can be hard to know what to expect. The most important thing to know while receiving acupuncture treatments is that progress can be slow; but rest assured progress is happening.

Here is a list of just some of the things to expect while receiving acupuncture, whether intended or not.

1. Your pain will change

The key word here is change: change in location, severity, or intensity. That change is what we are looking to accomplish every time you come in for treatment. This gives your acupuncturist and you a way to record your progress and see when and if the treatments are accomplishing their goal. It isn’t uncommon for pain to be relieved for a few hours after your treatment, only to return. Continued treatments will make that pain-free window longer and longer. It also isn’t impossible to experience a “healing crisis” during acupuncture treatments, which is to say your pain got better progressively over time and now has either plateaued or gotten worse in the short term. Although it may not seem like it, these are all good signs! Any change in your symptoms at all are indications things are on the way to improvement.

2. Your sleep could improve (or change)

For most people, the night after your first acupuncture treatment could be the best night’s sleep you’ve had in a long time, and for others it could mean you didn’t get to sleep in as long as you wanted. Your body is on a biological clock and regulates itself based on a lot of different factors (artificial vs natural light, seasons, etc.). Sleeping better is one of the best “side effects” of acupuncture, but it’s not a guarantee for everyone.

3. Your mood will improve

Really? Yes, acupuncture and Chinese Medicine consider the mind and body to be one whole unit. It is very common to store emotional stress in muscles (think office worker with tight shoulders and a bad boss); relaxing the muscles allows our body to effectively process that stuck energy and eliminate it. People who get acupuncture for the first time often experience an “acu buzz” after their first treatment. Biologically, this is the brain releasing dopamine and serotonin.

4. You’ll be more aware of your body

Acupuncture is a whole-body tune up. Do you take your car in to get the oil changed every 3,000 miles? Well, you should treat your body the same. When you first start doing acupuncture you’ll notice bodily sensations more acutely, that is to say, you will be more aware of the little things you didn’t notice before and more clued in to how your body is functioning overall. Your senses will be keener and more awakened.

5. You’ll have more energy

Finally, but definitely not last, after beginning acupuncture treatment you can start to notice having more energy. Did you forget your morning coffee, but realize you didn’t really need it today? That is thanks in part to acupuncture’s ability to rev up the adrenal system, and overall help the bodily functions perform at their best. Just by poking a tiny needle into the top layer of the skin, acupuncture is able to jump-start the body’s energy to repair a little faster, go a little longer.

The human body is an amazing thing, and when given the proper tools (diet, exercise, etc.), it is able to function at its best. Acupuncture doesn’t change the way your body performs, it just helps to enhance the body’s many control systems that allow the body to heal itself naturally.

Milwaukee Community Acupuncture

Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Bay View neighborhood, Milwaukee Community Acupuncture provides quality, convenient and low-cost healthcare to members of our community.

Special Offers & Updates!

December Special

All through the month of December MCA is offering $10 treatment every Monday to service industry workers. We hope you take time to take care of yourself during this busy time of caring for others.

Holiday Hours

MCA will be closed Monday December 24, Tuesday December 25, and Tuesday January 1. All other hours that week will remain the same. Happy Holidays!

December Construction

During the month of December, Cafe Centraal will be installing some duct work that will run through MCA's large treatment room. The work will be happening overnight so MCA hours will remain the same. You will notice a large plastic enclosure in the treatment room while the work is happening. Thank you for bearing with us during the construction.

Buy 10 Treatments, Get the 11th Free

Did you know we have 10 treatment punch cards available at our front desk? You pay whatever you can using our sliding scale for those 10 treatments and then get your 11th treatment free. Many patients have found using punch cards easier than paying each time they come in. We even keep them at our front desk so you don't have to keep track of them!

Amazon Smile

MCA is now part of Amazon Smile. When making purchases on Amazon, choose us to make part of that purchase a donation to MCA!